Four Poems by Tomaž Šalamun

Dress / Influence Ends

what is your favorite color
my favorite color is yellow
would you wear a wig if your hair fell out overnight
if my hair fell out overnight I’d wear a wig
we were told you’d been in Portugal
could you briefly give us your impressions
Portugal is a small country
the people dress well
was it hot
it was hot in the sun
it was hot in the shade too
did you have an uncle with the air force
I had an uncle with the air force
did he influence you to decide on this profession
I wouldn’t say he influenced
before long he died and then he didn’t influence


Soldier / Canada

what is dearest to you in life
in life peace is dearest to me
would you follow a missionary
I think I would follow a missionary
but I’d still need to think it over
what has particularly upset you lately
I couldn’t say what particularly upset me
do you feel the effects of the second world war
I do not feel the effects
I remember a soldier rushing at a gate
I remember seeing a blue butterfly
we ask that you communicate something to our listeners
very well I’m saying hello to Uncle Eugene who’s now in Canada


Time / Yes

did you see a man drinking water
I saw a man drinking water
was he holding a pitcher in his hands
he was holding a pitcher in his hands
was he lying down and staring at the sun
he was lying down and staring at the sun
was he standing and staring at the ground
he was standing and staring at the ground
was he crouching
he was crouching
was he straight and tall
he was straight and tall
did you see a man drinking wine
I saw a man drinking wine
was he holding a pitcher in his hands
he was holding a pitcher in his hands
was he lying down and staring at the sun
he was lying down and staring at the sun
was he standing and staring at the ground
he was standing and staring at the ground
was he crouching
he was crouching
was he straight and tall
he was straight and tall


Driver

did you open his eyes? did you think he was hostile?
I didn’t open his eyes. I didn’t think he was hostile.
will you set him on fire? will you build him wings?
I won’t set him on fire. I won’t build him wings.
what is his profession?
chauffeur. he drives down dusty roads all day.
does he rush when it snows?
when it snows he puts on chains.
where did you meet him?
in the forest. he said he would be a pilot. he wondered
if it was much warmer in the south and if there was
a big difference in degrees.


Translated from the Slovenian by Brian Henry.


Reprinted from Kiss the Eyes of Peace (Milkweed Editions, 2024). Reprinted with the permission of the translator.